Iliman Ndiaye’s controversial penalty canceled out Leandro Trossard’s early strike as Everton held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw, a result that leaves Liverpool needing just 11 points from their remaining eight games to secure the title.
Ndiaye confidently converted from the penalty spot early in the second half at Goodison Park after referee Darren England ruled that Myles Lewis-Skelly had fouled Jack Harrison. This decision sparked some debate, but it stood. Prior to that, Trossard had given Arsenal the lead with a precise finish from the edge of the box. His goal came after a defensive mix-up between Idrissa Gueye and Jarrad Branthwaite allowed Raheem Sterling to initiate a swift counterattack.
Mikel Arteta made five changes to his starting lineup, with an eye on Tuesday’s crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid. Key players such as Thomas Partey, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli started on the bench, while Bukayo Saka once again began as a substitute, having scored the decisive goal against Fulham earlier in the week.
Arsenal also had to cope with the absence of Gabriel Magalhães, who suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in the previous match. However, they were relieved to have Ben White back in the squad after a minor injury, and Jurrien Timber made a brief appearance from the bench after recovering from his own fitness issue.
Despite avoiding any further injury concerns, Arsenal could not find a winner in a scrappy and at times disjointed match. Ødegaard wasted a golden opportunity, firing wide, while Everton’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made important saves from Declan Rice and Martinelli to keep the game level.
The draw means Liverpool now have the chance to extend their lead to 14 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal when they face Fulham. As for Everton, they climb to 14th in the standings after securing a valuable point.
